Adjustable invalid walker



Sept. 20, 1966 C. BURNS ADJUSTABLE INVALID WALKER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 16, 1964 Sept. 20, 1966 Filed Dec. 16, 1964 C. L. BURNS ADJUSTABLE INVALID WALKER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

United States Patent O 3,273,888 ADJUSTABLE INVALID WALKER Charles Lester Burns, Rte. 3, Unionville, Mo. Filed Dec. 16, 1964, Ser. No. 418,694 4 Claims. (Cl. 272-7tl.4)

The invention relates to an improved invalid walker and more particularly the invention relates to an invalid walker constructed completely of :square tubular sections 1ntegrally united into a pair of complementary -frame members secured together by conventional nuts and bolts, and wherein the right and left frame Vmembers are tapered toward each other at the bottom, a pair of wheels on each frame member, the rear wheels being secured or xedly mounted whereas the forward pair of wheels are swivel mounted and contain an adjustable width control means interposed therebetween. The adjustable width control means interposed between the forward pair of wheels contains a slot and a pivot arm secured in place by a wing nut for providing the `desired controlled adjustable width with respect to the width control means located and mounted above and intermediate the frame members.

An object, therefore, of the invention is to provide an improved adjustable invalid walker wherein the patient may be quite incapacitated and yet walk along with the invalid walker of the invention, since the stationary rear wheels are taperedly mounted with respect to the frame members an-d provide significant control in the movement of the invalid walker about hospital rooms and corridors as well as about ones home.

A further object of the invention is to provide a slotted hole and wing nut combination with a pivot arm interposed `between connecting members for acting as a hinge 4or frame support member to loosen the bolts in the slotted holes while adjusting them to make the proper adjustment for patients.

The invention also seeks to provide a construction wherein movement of the invalid walker is controlled so that a person is not apt to fall when using or getting into or out of the invalid walker, wherein the yframe members are tapered toward each other toward the bottom and away lfrom each other at the top of the invalid walker so that the component parts may be adjusted to the width of the -user as well as the width of doorways through which the walker may pass.

The invention provides for `stationary or Xedly secured rear wheels that do not swivel, but yet roll and provide a control so that the rear end of the invalid walker does not roll sideways, therefore providing substantial safety in its use. Thus, the user is not apt to be unbalanced and can stand generally alone and yet control the swivelmounted front wheels. Due to the tapering effect of the left and right frame members, there is substantial and adequate control provided in the use of the invalid walker.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon full consideration -of the `following detailed description and accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a generally perspective View of the adjustable invalid walker in which the left and right frame members are substantially oriented parallel to each other;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation view of a right frame member showing some of the elements and components of the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a partially broken away `side elevation view of the pivotal mounting of a front right swivelmounted wheel taken along lines 3 3 of FIGURE 1; and

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FIGURE 4 is a front elevation view shown partially in cross-section showing significant details of the taper and other component details of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown an invalid walker 1l) constructed of essentially left and right frame members 12, 14 which include an intermediate `frame or -bar 16, 16, being intermediately and horizontally `disposed along the frames. The upper portion of the frame includes a plastic set of arm pads 18, 18, and may even be quite conventional in construction. The lower portion of the left and right frame members 12, 14, includes a horizontally disposed base bar or member 20, 22, wherein there is a pair of stationary or iixedly mounted rear wheels 26, 26, and there is a forward pair of swivelmounted wheels 28, 30. The only interconnecting members between the left and right frame members 12, 14 are an upper adjustable width control member 34 and a lower adjustable width control member 36.

The height of the frame may be accordingly adjusted by conventional type adjustable control means 40, 40, 40, 40. The control means 40 are shown in each of FIG- URES l and 2. It is noted that the frame members 12, 14, 16, 20, 22 and other specied components including 34, 36, `may each be made of Asquare or substantially square steel tubing.

The left and right frame members are provided with a taper that narrows at the bottom of the adjustable invalid walker, and taper outwardly as shown at the upper portion thereof. This is provided by properly adjusting the thu-rnb screw and lock bar width adjustment means 44 in control means 36 cooperating with the pivot pins 35, 3S of cornponent 34, and also adjusting the taper control of the wheels 28, 3d by the elongated slot 4S, adjustable pivotally mounted bar 50, and a wing nut 52. The tapered position, therefore, is maintained by the assemblage 48-50-52 together with adjusting the control members 34, 36 as desired.

When the left and right frame members 12, 14 are brought again to a vertical and parallel relationship, the tabs or flanges 62, 62 are provided so that they rest and engage the upper surface of the square tubing forming member 36.

Additional and further embodiments of the invention in this specification will occur to others and therefore it is intended that the scope of the invention be limited only by the appended claims and not by the embodiment herein described above. Accordingly, reference should be ma-de to the lfollowin-g claims in determining the full scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An adjustable invalid walker comprising a left frame and a right frame of complementary construction, including a pair of fore and aft supporting wheels and an arm pad -on each frame, the forward pair of said wheels being swivel mounted, the rear pair of said wheels being iixedly mounted, :means adjusting the height of the arm pad on each frame, means mounting said frames for horizontal movement relative to each other for varying the width between the frames, means mounting said frames `for pivotal movement relative to each other whereby the tops of said frames can move toward each other and the bottoms of said frames can move apart and. alternatively the tops can move away 'from each other and the bottoms toward each other, means for securing said frames in selected positions of said horizontal movement, and means for securing said frames in `selected positions of said pivotal movement.

2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein the References Cited by the Examiner frames are constructed of square :metal tubing, and the UNITED STATES PATENTS width varying mounting means comprises only two members. 130,283 8/ 1872 Darrach 272-70.4

3. The invention according to claim 2 wherein said 5 906,845 12/1908 Adair 272 70 4 width varying mounting means includes in the mounting 1,917 440 H1933 Finkbeiner et al 272 70 4 X means a slot and pivot arms secured in place by a wing nut and bolt arrangement 2,732,004 1/ 1956 Forbes 272-704 4. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said width adjusting means comprises an upper and a lower 10 RICHARD C PINKHAM Primary Examiner' length adjustable members. A. W. KRAMER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN ADJUSTABLE INVALID WALKER COMPRISING A LEFT FRAME AND A RIGHT FRAME OF COMPLEMENTARY CONSTRUCTION, INCLUDING A PAIR OF FORE AND AFT SUPPORTING WHEELS AND AN ARM PAD ON EACH FRAME, THE FORWARD PAIR OF SAID WHEELS BEING SWIVEL MOUNTED, THE REAR PAIR OF SAID WHEELS BEING FIXEDLY MOUNTED, MEANS ADJUSTING THE HEIGHT OF THE ARM PAD ON EACH FRAME, MEANS MOUNTING SAID FRAMES FOR HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER FOR VARYING THE WIDTH BETWEEN THE FRAMES, MEANS MOUNTING SAID FRAMES FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER WHEREBY THE TOPS OF SAID FRAMES CAN MOVE TOWARD EACH OTHER WHEREBY THE BOTTOMS OF SAID FRAMES CAN MOVE APART AND ALTERNATIVELY THE TOPS CAN MOVE AWAY FROM EACH OTHER AND THE BOTTOMS TOWARD EACH OTHER, MEANS FOR SECURING SAID FRAMES IN SELECTED POSITIONS OF SAID HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT, AND MEANS FOR SECURING SAID FRAMES IN SELECTED POSITIONS OF SAID PIVOTAL MOVEMENT. 